A blog of thoughts, inspiration, discussion from a student of Christian Science

Friday, April 20, 2007

Just be yourself

I have much in my heart still to say about this week’s events, but today am led to share a tiny conversation I had with God the other day.

It’s becoming clear to me that I’m at some sort of crossroads in my life. I could go in any number of different directions—there are many activities and pursuits that appeal to me. (Christian Science, of course, remains at the heart of it all.)

So I talked about it with God. I asked Him, What’s right to do? What would be wrong? What do You want me to do?

And I heard back, in the gentlest sigh of support, Laura, just be yourself.

I felt a cool wash of relief bathe over me at this. I can do that? I thought. That’s all right with You?

That’s all I’ve ever wanted for you, He replied. Just be yourself and all the rest will follow.

And it seems to me that much of my energy in the past has been spent trying to be good or successful or righteous, but I’ve never focused on just being myself. Now, I can feel a budding understanding of how effortless being myself will be, and therefore my energy can be spent on other things, such as helping others.

Just be yourself. As you understand how your selfhood reflects the Divine, what a blessing it becomes to embody it!

5 Comments:

I love this, Laura. I had a moment of uncertainty a few weeks ago, and I got a similar response: I created you the way I wanted you. Be who you are, and let Me worry about everybody else.

It's reassuring to know we don't have to squeeze our individuality into some one-size-fits-all model of what a Christian Scientist is supposed to be. There's room for all of us -- tattooed hippies and conservative golfers alike. :)

OMG - I love a world with tattoed hippies and conservative golfers! And punky hairstyled grandmas and teenagers with suits and ties; and, and, and..... (you guys all add more....)for some reason I hear background music of "My favorite things"

Great post - i could feel the relief coming right through it. OMG, we are supposed to be ourselves! Love it!

**That’s all I’ve ever wanted for you, He replied. Just be yourself and all the rest will follow.**

When I receive this answer, I ponder it for a minute or two and then go, "So ... who am I, then?"

And I think that's where so much of the focus on being good or succesful or finding material things to make one happy comes from. Part of that is trying to discover who exactly I am. Sometimes, there are distractions in that we look to other people or other things to see who we are, and thus we start mimicing how those people see us, or what that thing is supposed to say about us.